“He signed the certified postal receipt at his barracks six weeks after they were born,” I said.

“I have the green card in my briefcase with his signature on it.”

“We can fix the financial side tonight,” Margaret said, her voice trembling slightly as she touched her pearls again.

“We have the means to give those four boys everything Ethan kept from them.”

I took the check between two fingers and slid it back across the smooth wood until it touched her gold pen.

“A check can’t go to a school concert, Margaret,” I said.